严重急性呼吸综合征相关冠状病毒的发现及其研究进程

严重急性呼吸综合征(SARS)暴发流行，引发了一场全球性通力合作、激烈竞争的攻关研究。2003年3月，中国香港及美国、加拿大和德国的科学家相继从SARS患者标本中发现并分离到一种SARS相关冠状病毒(SARS—CoV)，并得到世界卫生组织(WHO)的确认。之后，2003年4、5月间，美国、德国、中国香港、加拿大、荷兰的学者分别将他们对SARS病原体的研究成果发表于Sciece、NEJM、Luncet、Nature等国际权威学术期刊上，先后报告了SARS—CoV全基因组结构、基因组序列分析、SARS—CoV分子模型构建等，为进一步建立SARS诊断、治疗及疫苗研究等奠定了基础。分析这一迅速取得大量成果的研究进程，认真反思、深刻总结，将会使我们有很多收益。

Discovery of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

The epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) leads both to close cooperation and fierce competition in related researches globally. In March 2003, scientists from Hong Kong (China), America, Canada and German discovered a new type of coronavirus in SARS patients(SARS CoV) successively. And it was acknowledged by the WHO. Later, from April to May 2003, researchers from America, German, Chinese Hong Kong, Canada and Dutch published their findings about SARS pathogen in journals like Science, New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet and Nature, etc . The gene map, complete genome sequence and molecular model of SARS CoV were reported, which has laid a sound foundation for SARS diagnosis, treatment and the development of vaccine. We can learn a lot from the rapid reaction of the related institutes, and the experience gained will benefit us in the future.